Wednesday, August 19, 2009

The Bill Hall Era has mercifully ended!

Sports Illustrated writer Ben Reiter broke the news with this sarcastic tweet: SI_BenReiter Breaking: Bill Hall traded from Brewers to Mariners. Seattle, get ready for the Series!


Here's the JSOnline info on it - I'll bold my favorite part -

Hall traded to Seattle (updated)

Aug. 19, 2009 5:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh – The Milwaukee Brewers traded infielder/outfielder Bill Hall to the Seattle Mariners today for minor league pitcher Ruben Flores.

The deal almost certainly included a large amount of cash going to the Mariners because the Brewers owed Hall approximately $10.5 million on the four-year, $24 million deal he signed prior to the 2007 season. Hall had a $6.8 million salary this year, $8.4 million next year and an option for 2011 at $9.25 million with a $500,000 buyout.

The Brewers designated Hall for assignment last Wednesday after he batted .201 with six homers and 24 RBI in 76 games. Hall’s season included a brief assignment to Class AAA Nashville with the intent of working on his swing, but he was recalled when rightfielder Corey Hart had an emergency appendectomy.

Flores, 25, has spent the 2009 season at low Class A Clinton and high Class A High Desert. The 6-foot-4, 170-pound right-hander was 3-2 with a 4.39 ERA in 44 games with 18 saves. In 53 1/3 innings, he has allowed 45 hits, 26 earned runs and 35 walks while logging 61 strikeouts.

Flores was selected in the 12th round of the 2003 draft. He is a native of El Paso, Texas.

Flores will report to high Class A Brevard County.

Hall, 29, was given his $24 million deal after batting .270 in 2006 with team highs of 35 home runs and 85 RBI. After switching from shortstop to center field in ’07, his offensive numbers fell off to .254 with 14 homers and 63 RBI.

Moved to third base in ’08, Hall’s offensive numbers continued to fall, particularly against right-handed hitters, prompting the move to a platoon role. In 128 games, he batted .225 with 15 homers and 55 RBI.

The Mariners have been short at third base since Adrian Beltre was sidelined with a bleeding testicle, the result of being struck by a batted ball without wearing a protective cup. Unproven Jack Hannahan had been playing third for Seattle.

Obviously, the connection with Seattle is that GM Jack Zduriencik was the Brewers' former scouting director and is familiar with his play.

UPDATED MONEY INFO:

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED.COM REPORTS THAT THE BREWERS WILL PAY THE REMAINDER OF HALL'S $6.8 MILLION CONTRACT THIS YEAR AND MOST OF HIS $8.4 MILLION CONTRACT NEXT YEAR, AS MUCH AS $7.15 MILLION.


Poor Bill Hall - how bad do you have to feel when you're the guy they had to pick up in order to cover for the dude with injured junk? (aside to Beltre: You don't wear a cup?)

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